1001 Quotes Illustrations And Humorous Stories For Preachers Teachers And Writers

Anyone who speaks for a living knows that at some point you just run out of relevant stories to tell. And there's nothing more embarrassing to a preacher or teacher than a listener pointing out that they've heard a story three or four times now. What's a busy speaker to do? Edward K. Rowell and Leadership journal have come to the rescue with this fresh compilation of quotes, idea starters, illustrations, and humor to jump-start or add kick to speeches, sermons, and lessons. This easy-to-use volume is the perfect addition to the library of any pastor, teacher, or public speaker.

You have something important to say. Are you sure your audience is listening? Clocks start ticking in the minds of your listeners the minute you begin your presentation. These clocks measure the amount of time you have to interest them before their attention wanders elsewhere. Could be three minutes. Could be thirty seconds. But make your audience laugh and they forget about their clocks. They are too busy listening. Make them laugh and they will listen. Humor is one of your most powerful tools as a speaker, and 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking lets you wield it with power. Michael Hodgin has compiled hundreds of humorous anecdotes on dozens of topics and brought them together in one book. From "Ability" and "Accidents" to "Work" and "Worship," Hodgin's illustrations are arranged according to topic and indexed to help you quickly find the perfect anecdote. The book also provides space to record the times and places you use each illustration, so no one will hear you tell the same joke twice. Ideal for preachers, teachers, executives, and anyone else who speaks publicly, 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking will keep your audience laughing -- and listening to every word you say.

Every preacher, teacher, or writer knows the value of a good illustration in helping connect the truth of the passage with the congregation or class—and how hard it is to come up with good illustrations week after week. This book contains the cream of the crop: 1001 illustrations carefully selected from among thousands on Christianity Today International’s popular website PreachingToday.com. These illustrations are proven, memorable, and illuminating. As the saying goes, they will preach! And they’re fresh, all written within the past seven years. Of course the best illustrations are no good if you can’t find the right one. These illustrations have been arranged according to twelve master topics, each divided into several subtopics. Further, they’ve been indexed according both to Bible references and to 500 keywords. A searchable CD-ROM is included, allowing you to get the illustration into your lesson or sermon with ease.

Be on alert! The enemy has already crippled believers in every nation around the world, and he continues to steal and destroy. But we have a part to play when Satan attacks. It is up to us to take responsibility and be watchful of his schemes. And we must become spiritually militant in order to counter his assaults. In this repackaged classic, bestselling author Dutch Sheets issues a call for watchmen who, through strategic prayer and the Holy Spirit's leading, pray a perimeter of protection around their loved ones, their cities, and their churches--while at the same time unraveling the schemes of the devil. God's call still goes out for watchmen. Can you hear it? Join your fellow believers in fervent prayer!

This year, take an insightful journey through the pages of the New Testament. Fifty-two pastors bring New Testament scripture alive in Walk Through the Word. Each day offers a passage of the New Testament and a meaningful devotional, and each week readers will be encouraged to journal their thoughts on the scriptures and commentary they have read. As readers continue their walk through God’s Word, their knowledge of Him will grow, and they will find themselves becoming more like Christ. Coupled with New Testament scriptures, daily devotionals help readers absorb biblical truths and practically apply scriptures to everyday life. Devotional topics include: the vastness of Christ’s love, investing in the growth of others, how repentance leads to transformation, how God uses His children to accomplish His purpose, and more.

Lasso Them With LaughterThe way to your listeners’ hearts is through their funny bones. Want to grab their attention? Do it with humor. Need to drive home a point they’ll remember? Nothing does it better than a rib-tickling anecdote—like the ones in this book. 1002 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking is jam-packed with one-liners, jokes, humorous stories, and pithy proverbs for just about any subject or circumstance under the sun. Pick your topic. Appearances, Communication, Opportunity, Prayer, Self-Image, Sports . . . these and plenty more come to you conveniently alphabetized, numbered, and indexed for instant referencing. There’s even a space for you to log what you use, so fresh nuttiness doesn’t become old chestnuts.Tested by preachers and public speakers, this ensemble of humor is just the ticket to get your audience laughing—and listening.

Normally, discussions about One New Man focus on Jew and Gentile needing to reconcile. Usually, this conversation breaks down over the place of Israel in the Kingdom and end times. People rarely think, much less act, on the purpose behind the Lord calling us to be the One New Man. The fundamental issue of identity has been overlooked. When people recognize that their true identity is their Messiah, they will be drawn into a closer relationship with God. They have been born into a time where biblical prophecy is confirming that the unity between Jew and Gentile is ushering in a new season of outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the Lord is calling them to join in. There is a call in this season, as confirmed in Ephesians 2 and 3, for Jew and Gentile to come together as One New Man and to walk as joint heirs in the commonwealth of Israel. When Jew and Gentile come together as One, the Lord has stored up a release of blessing and power that will forever change humanity’s destiny.

What is the meaning of life? The question has been asked by the brightest philosophical minds for centuries. Still to this day answers vary greatly depending on the worldview. Solomon, the wisest king in Israel's history, set all his energies to search for the ultimate meaning of life under the sun. His conclusions may shock and surprise you--vanity, chasing after the wind, absurdity, vanishing smoke. Are these the musings of a genius or of a mad man? If you are looking for a candy-coated appraisal of life then go ahead and put this book down. However, if you are looking for a no-frills, brutally honest, ragged-edged assessment of reality, then you have discovered an indispensable volume. In Journal of a Mad Man, pastor and author Derrick McCarson will carefully guide readers verse by verse through Solomon's meditations recorded in the Old Testament book of wisdom--Ecclesiastes. Not only will readers attempt to plumb the depths of some of mankind's most vexing questions, but they will also discover Solomon's secrets for wise living in a warped world.